The removal of stubborn stains, such as fruit juices, tea, coffee and ink, from counter tops and like surfaces is a particularly vexatious problem. Frequently, such stains are found in the same area and are caused at the same time as grease and oil spatters and spills such as may occur on range tops during meal preparation. A variety of aqueous detergent compositions are available for cleaning the grease and oil, but are ineffective against stains on the counter tops which are usually a thermoset plastic laminate. Powdered abrasive bleach products are available to remove those stains but unless great care is exercised, they will destroy the gloss finish on painted and porcelainized appliances and the plastic counter top.
Sodium hypochlorite has been used as a bleaching agent for decades. However, it has no detergency. Also the same properties that cause it to be effective against organic stains from aqueous solution have precluded its combination with organic detergents as an aqueous cleaning preparation. In the past, sodium hypochlorite has been combined in solution with inorganic detergents, such as trisodium phosphate, or has been combined with organic detergents as a dry granular powder which is dissolved in water just prior to use.